Lenovo Y550P Review and Laptop Specs
January 4, 2010
Lenovo’s new Y550P is the first laptop from the manufacturer to feature Intel’s beastly new Quad Core i7 processor with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology that automatically speeds up the processor when the PC needs extra juice. The laptop also boasts a sleek design with integrated subwoofer and Lenovo Enhanced Experience features like SlideNav and OneKey. It’s actually Microsoft Windows 7 Enhanced Experience certified, whatever that means. We recently picked up two of these bad boys as our new daily machines and we’ve been purty happy ever since. The biggest change for us was just the switch from Vista to Windows 7 — much improved, still not perfect… obviously. We debated on making the switch to Mac but decided against it (see controversial image above).
(Full disclosure, these are affiliate links above but we do in fact own and like these laptops.)
The Good:
- Looks: thin, sleek, the copper border around the top with the black textured lid looks great. The white keyboard lights are a nice touch.
- Performance: the processor is a monster, comes with 4GB of DDR3 (expandable to 8GB). It boots/shuts down quickly, rarely any slow down.
- Keyboard feels good, the trackpad’s great after you adjust the sensitivity settings (the Palm detector and pinch multi-touch zoom in particular need to be less sensitive)
- Great wifi card (Intel 5300 instead of Intel 5100)
- Has Bluetooth
- Built in Webcam
- Speakers are great for a laptop and it even has a mini-mini-mini subwoofer on the underside
- Has HDMI out
- Good battery life for such a powerful machine (~3 hours)
- Lightweight/portable
- 1GB of dedicated graphics, nice.
- Big 500GB hard drive
The Bad:
- Screen is only 16:9, not 16:10 so it’s not true HD.
- No Bluray player (see #1)
- Comes preinstalled with a lot of junk… pretty standard these days, unfortunately.
- SlideNav is pretty useless, I just disabled it. The pinch zoom is pretty useless too, be sure to lower the sensitivity.
- Hard drive is only 5400 RPM, this is the performance bottle neck of the system.
The Summary:
We looked at other laptops (from HP, Dell, etc..) featuring the i7 processor but nobody could match the looks, price, and features of the Lenovo Y550P. It has to be the best or one of the best laptops you can buy for ~$1,000. If you spend some extra coin and put in a solid state drive and 8GB of RAM it would be an absolute monster laptop that is still cool looking and portable.
(Full disclosure, these are affiliate links above but we do in fact own and like these laptops.)
Specs from Newegg’s website:
| Model | |
| Brand | lenovo |
| Series | IdeaPad |
| Model | Y550P(324156U) |
| Part# | 324156U |
| General | |
| Operating System | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit |
| CPU Type | Intel Core i7 720QM(1.6GHz) |
| Screen | 15.6″ |
| Memory Size | 4GB DDR3 |
| Hard Disk | 500GB |
| Optical Drive | DVD±R/RW |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M |
| Video Memory | 1GB GDDR3 |
| Communication | Gigabit LAN and WLAN |
| Card slot | 1 x Express Card |
| Dimensions | 15.20″ x 10.00″ x 1.02″ – 1.50″ |
| Weight | 6.06 lbs. |
| CPU | |
| CPU Type | Intel Core i7 |
| CPU Speed | 720QM(1.60GHz) |
| Display | |
| Screen Size | 15.6″ |
| Wide Screen Support | Yes |
| Resolution | 1366 x 768 |
| Operating Systems | |
| Operating System | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit |
| Graphics | |
| GPU/VPU | NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M |
| Video Memory | 1GB GDDR3 |
| Graphic Type | Dedicated Card |
| Hard Drive | |
| HDD | 500GB |
| HDD RPM | 5400rpm |
| Memory | |
| Memory | 4GB |
| Memory Spec | 2GB x 2 |
| Memory Type | 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM |
| Memory Slot (Total) | 2 |
| Memory Slot (Available) | 0 |
| Optical Drive | |
| Optical Drive Type | DVD±R/RW |
| Optical Drive Interface | Integrated |
| Communications | |
| LAN | 10/100/1000Mbps |
| WLAN | 802.11n Wireless LAN |
| Ports | |
| Card Slot | 1 x Express Card |
| USB | Two USB 2.0 and one eSATA/USB combo port |
| Video Port | 1 x VGA, 1 x HDMI |
| Audio Ports | 1 x Microphone jack; 1 x Headphone jack |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Integrated Sound card |
| Speaker | Internal Speakers |
| Input Device | |
| Touchpad | Yes |
| Keyboard | Standard |
| Supplemental Drive | |
| Card Reader | 6-in-1 |
| Webcam | Yes |
| Power | |
| Battery | 6-cell lithium ion |
| Physical spec | |
| Dimensions | 15.20″ x 10.00″ x 1.02″ – 1.50″ |
| Weight | 6.06 lbs. |
| Manufacturer Warranty | |
| Parts | 1 year limited |
| Labor | 1 year limited |
Use Ad.ly to Make $$$ on Twitter
November 25, 2009
There’s a new Twitter ad network that’s gaining steam called Ad.ly. A lot of people spend gobs of time tweeting, might as well make a little coin from it:
Here’s some more info about them:
Ad.ly enables Twitter publishers to make money from the content they produce on Twitter by sending one Tweet every day from advertisers that they approve. In order to ensure authenticity, every Ad.ly Tweet is explicitly approved by the Twitter publisher. The publishers are able to set the price they want advertisers to pay and can optionally donate part or all of their earnings to charity.
Just a quick post. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
No tag for this post.Want $1,000? Design our new logo!
August 31, 2009
UPDATE UPDATE: Well, we did what we said we’d do: we got concepts/directions from a lot of different designers and narrowed them down, then awarded the prize money and completed the logo with one designer. Our apologies for any misunderstanding and we understand both sides of the #nospec argument now. Check out the new logo up top and here’s a little more info: click.
UPDATE: We have gotten a ton of designers e-mailing, tweeting, etc about this contest. Who knew it would get so much attention and turn into a “no-spec” debate. We aren’t asking anyone to work for free, but if you have free time time available and want to take a stab at our logo for a chance at $1,000, go for it. If not, OK. If you’re a designer who wants to share their portfolio and/or meet with us to talk about working together, fantastic. Great ideas can come from anywhere, from anyone, and at anytime. We are hoping to be in the right place at the right time. See the comments below for the full discussion, we love discussions, they’re so insightful. Relax.
Calling all graphic design rockstars: we need a new logo to go with our new office and such. Please submit your awesome designs (in .jpg, .gif, or .png format) to info [at] 3tailer.com after reading these guidelines:
- Send color and black/white version
- Send a 500×500 and 16×16 version
- Must be original, not heavily inspired by another brand
- Must be able to use in Print/Web
- Submit as many as you’d like
- After winning, must deliver in vector format
If we use your logo design, we send you $1,000. We’ll also give you credit for the logo when we unveil it within the next few weeks (including a link!). No purchase necessary. Pretty straight forward. If you have any questions feel free to ask us at the above email, we can also give feedback during the design process.
The contest ends 1PM EST on Monday, September 7th. Good luck!
Tags: logo design contest, new 3tailer logoClockspot.net Review: online employee time tracker.
August 4, 2009
Clockspot.net is web-based employee time tracking software that allows managers to more efficiently run their businesses. It offers employers a variety of tools to track, edit and manage employee hours, sick days and vacation time. The built in messaging and IM features allow employees to communicate easily while their task feature allows them to keep track of assignments.
For small business that have employees work from remote locations, Clockspot is a great time clock application option. Employers control where and how employees clock in/out with options to do so via internet or phone. You can set specific IP addresses that limit where employees clock in/out and they even have a voice authentication system for phone clock in/out. Because Clockspot is hosted in the cloud online, there is no need to buy or download extra software and no other equipment is needed.
Each business gets a specific URL for their time clock with the option of adding a company logo to personalize the main page. You can choose to display an icon for each employee or have employees enter their own user name and password for each log in. Statements and bill pay are done directly through the manager accounts making payment quick and easy.
Another great feature for small businesses is the integrated payroll feature, especially if you do payroll in house. Employers can track hours and generate payroll from their account. They have options to calculate overtime, taxes and even add or deduct time for breaks. While Clockpot is not compatiable with outside software like ADP or Quickbooks, it does allow users to export data into PDF and Excel documents.
The task feature allows managers and employees to send tasks to one another as well as add deadlines. Employees can send time sheet corrections and time off request directly to employers through the system so vacations and sick days are easy to track and manage. The shift report feature requires employees to enter shift data so managers know what each employee is doing on a daily basis. This is a particularly useful option for companies that have remote location workers.
Clockspot is a great tool for any business and easily helps you manage employees. A demo version of Clockspot can be found at http://demo.clockspot.net/ and is a great idea for anyone who is interested. They allow you to log in as a manager and an employee so you will fully understand how their timesheet system works. Rate start at just $10 with additional managers for $5 and employees for $2.
Tags: clockspot review, clockspot.net, online employee time trackerDon’t let your business disappear tomorrow…
March 9, 2009
The other day my wife (@SamanthaLedford) and I (@ChadLedford) were talking and I came up with an idea, this article made me think of it again so I want to share it with anyone interested. Let’s say you own a local Blue Widget store that is struggling in this economy, because let’s be honest, if people don’t NEED your Blue Widgets they aren’t going to buy them. The immediate reaction of the business owner is to cut prices and have a huge sale to get more people in the door, this is the easy thing to do but not the best.
Assuming your business is appreciated by the community, why not be transparent about your situation. If your Blue Widget store has been around for 10 years, tell your story. Put up a sign that says, “We need to sell 30 Blue Widgets a day to keep our doors open and keep our 6 employees employed.” Track your sales and make them public, if the community knows they can help 12 locals keep their jobs by purchasing a Blue Widget I guarantee you they will be more inclined to do so. I know if I saw a sign saying a local bakery only needed to sell 10 more pastry’s today to keep their doors open, I’d buy a dozen for our office. If you pretend everything is going great, you’re profitable, and this economy hasn’t affected your business, you can’t expect people to buy things they don’t need.
Build a tribe and turn your customers into fans. This could work for large corporations but people need to appreciate the business crying out for support. If Exxon made a plea to buy more gas or they will go out of business, people will ignore it, save those with a vested interest in the company. If Apple said they wouldn’t be able to make any new iPods or develop new technologies unless they sold at least 1 mp3 via iTunes to everyone with an iPod, would enough people go buy a song? Most likely…
Tags: business, entreprenuership, leadership, Management, marketingAffiliate Summit West 2009: Viva Las Vegas!
January 6, 2009
Chad and Jon will be in Las Vegas from Saturday January 10th until Wednesday January 14th for Affiliate Summit West 2009. Shoot us an email (info@) if you’d like to meet up.
How was your New Year’s?
January 5, 2009
Well?
Tags: 2009, happy new yearAT&T: No new phone for you!
December 18, 2008
We have our Business Wireless plan with AT&T currently. We’ve been personal customers for years and business customers for a year or so. Our phones are getting archaic so we had the bright idea to upgrade our phones. After logging onto their website, I tried their upgrade option — no dice. A Live Chat window appeared, sweet! Here’s the ensuing conversation…
Thank you for your patience! An AT&T sales representative will be with you shortly.
Jon: hi
Carolyn: Welcome to AT&T online Sales support. How may I assist you with placing your order today?
Jon: we currently have a business wireless account
Jon: there’s 2 of us on the account
Jon: we want new phones
Jon: i want an htc fuze, and chad wants a blackberry bold
Jon: how do we do this ?
Carolyn: I will be more than happy to help you today.
Jon: ok
Carolyn: Have you logged in to your account?
Jon: yes i’m logged in now
Carolyn: To upgrade (replace) your phone, please log into your account using the “My Account” button and choose “Check Upgrade Options”. When a new phone is available for your account, an “Upgrade phone“ link will display in the list below. Follow the directions to complete your upgrade online.
Carolyn:https://www.wireless.att.com/olam/loginAction.olamexecute?goto=%2Folam%2FgotoLogin.olamexecute
Jon: You can take advantage of our full retail pricing option, with the exception of iPhone which requires a 2-year commitment. This line may be eligible for an equipment discount on 03/09/2009
Jon: You can take advantage of our full retail pricing option, with the exception of iPhone which requires a 2-year commitment. This line may be eligible for an equipment discount on 11/09/2009
Carolyn: So you are not eligible for an upgrade at this time?
Jon: i’m guessing that’s what it’s saying ?
Jon: so we can’t get new phones now ?
Carolyn: And you are wanting to pay the no commitment pricing for an iPhone?
Jon: Jon: there’s 2 of us on the account Jon: we want new phones Jon: i want an htc fuze, and chad wants a blackberry bold Jon: how do we do this ?
Carolyn: You will need to go to your local retail store and purchase the phones at full price if you are not eligible for an upgrade.
Jon: even if we extend our contract for 2 years?
Carolyn: That is correct.
Jon: how does that make sense?
Carolyn: If you are eligible for an upgrade at this time you can get the phones at a discounted rate if they are available.
Jon: so there’s no way to get the phones at the discounted price as an existing customer, even if we want to extend our contracts for 2 years ?
Carolyn: Not unless you were to get 2 more lines with new numbers.
Jon: for $9.99 each a month ?
Carolyn: That is correct.
Carolyn: But understand that you will have 2 new numbers.
Jon: would the 2 new lines have a separate 2-year contract or will they fall under the existing contract we have in place ?
Carolyn: They will have a new contract for each phone.
Jon: well, this is pretty silly
Jon: thanks for your help
Jon: have a great day!
Carolyn: Thank you for choosing AT&T. Have a great day.
First of all, the 2 statements in bold are ridiculous. Second of all, way to cater to your paying customers. We were willing to be locked into a longer contract, just give us the shiny new phones at a discount that others are getting. Sheesh.
Tags: att is awesome, att phone upgrade, no reallyFOX News Rising: Making Money Online
December 14, 2008
Check out: Youtube | FOX Video | Pics | Article
Here’s your cheat sheet for the segment…First things first, it’s not that hard to earn some extra income from the Internet and it’s not that intimidating. Do your research, act on something, and you’ll be fine. Think about your passions. What do you enjoy doing? Wouldn’t it be nice to turn your passion into an income stream? Start there and then work your way to the business side of things. There’s two basic ways to do it. Either sell your own stuff, or help someone sell theirs.Selling Your Own Stuff
Auction Style: Ebay
Classifieds: craigslist, CharlotteBook.com
Helping Someone Else Sell Their Stuff
Affiliate Marketing:
Display Ads: Google Adsense
Dropshipping
Tools of the Trade:
Here’s a list of 101 more specific things you can do: enjoy.
Hope this was helpful, let us know if you have any questions!
Tags: how to easily make money online, making money onlineThe Planet Hosting Reviews: We like ‘em!
October 28, 2008
One of the most crucial decisions an online-only business can make is your hosting company. A lot of businesses make the mistake of choosing on price and put less focus on things like network speed, uptime, and support. After a long drawn out process we finally decided upon The Planet. Their network is super quick, servers are solid, and their support is phenomenal. They currently have two divisions: Planet Alpha (dedicated hosting) and Planet Northstar (managed hosting). The division you choose really just depends on your individual business needs.
Much like with everything else, The Planet is not perfect, however. Gripe #1: their Live Chat has a gatekeeper that asks for your query and username/password. Fine. Then they forward you to someone else who also asks for your query. Why is the question not forwarded to the next person? Gripe #2: Extra RAM is gasoline expensive. A stick of Ram costs between $30-70 on average as a one-time expense. The Planet will charge $70-80ish per month for extra RAM. Talk about high profit margins. Pricing in general is a little… pricey.
Here’s one of their most expensive setups currently: Dual Xeon 5405 – Monster Dedicated Server
And one of their cheapest configurations currently: Intel Celeron 2.0 GHz Dedicated Server
Aside from our few gripes we’ve been nothing but happy with The Planet’s hosting capabilities. Highly recommended as of the date of this posting.
About The Planet
“The Planet is the worldwide leader in IT Hosting. Ranging from dedicated servers to enterprise-class managed hosting. We serve more than 22,000 customers from six SAS 70 Type II certified data centers. By providing world-class networking, the latest technologies and expert support, we enable our customers to successfully grow their businesses.”
Tags: dedicated hosting, managed hosting, Planet Alpha, Planet Northstar, The Planet hosting
"
